How to check if a cell is not equal to a value in Excel
Formula (Excel and Google Sheets)
=IF(C2<>$G$1,"Chase","")Use the not-equal operator <>: =IF(C2<>$G$1,"Chase",""). It is TRUE for every value except the one you name.
- Result on the example
- one result per row in
D2, filled down toD7 - Works in
- Every current version
- Google Sheets
- Same formula
See it work
The formula is already in D2, filled down to D7. Change any input and the result updates, or edit the formula to experiment.
How it works
<> means "not equal to", so C2<>$G$1 is TRUE for In transit and Returned and FALSE for Delivered. IF turns that into "Chase" or an empty string. The status to skip sits in G1, locked with $, so you can change it without editing the formula.
=IF(C2<>$G$1,"Chase","")Result""
C2"Delivered"The value in C2.
$G$1"Delivered"The value in G1.
C2<>$G$1FALSEThe <> operator tests whether they differ.
IF(C2<>$G$1,"Chase","")""IF: Returns one value if a test is true, another if false.- logical_test
C2<>$G$1FALSE - value_if_true
"Chase"not used - value_if_false
""
- logical_test
In Google Sheets
The same formula works in Google Sheets: =IF(C2<>$G$1,"Chase",""). We ran it in Google Sheets mode on the same data and it returns the same results.
Other ways to do it
Each one was run on the same example sheet.
| Formula | Result | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| =IF(NOT(C2=$G$1),"Chase","") | , Chase, … | NOT flips TRUE and FALSE. Same result; <> is shorter. |
| =IF(C2=$G$1,"","Chase") | , Chase, … | Test for equality and swap the two results. |
Common mistakes
!=is not a spreadsheet operator. Excel and Google Sheets use<>.C2<>""means "is not blank", which is a different test from "is not this value".- Like =, <> ignores case: "delivered" counts as equal to "Delivered".
Try it yourself
Same data, empty answer cell. Your formula is graded instantly, then re-checked on changed data, so a typed-in number won't pass.
Check if a cell is not equal to a value
D2, show "Chase" when the status is anything other than the value in G1, otherwise leave it blank. Fill down to D7.Questions
How do I check that a cell is none of several values?
Combine the tests with AND: =IF(AND(C2<>"Delivered",C2<>"Returned"),"Chase","").
How do I count cells not equal to a value?
Put the operator in the criteria: =COUNTIF(C2:C7,"<>"&G1).
Checked by running on 2026-10-30: every formula and result on this page was calculated by the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine, in both Excel and Google Sheets modes.